Laura stood over the battered body of the man who had once considered himself invincible. The leader of the now-dead gang crawled through the blood-soaked dirt, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Half his limbs were missing, torn away by the merciless jaws of Fenrir, and blood poured from gaping wounds. His eyes were wide with terror, darting to and fro as if hoping to find an escape from the nightmare closing in on him.
Laura's footsteps were calm, almost eerily so, as she approached. The man's hand trembled as he tried to push himself further away. His voice, hoarse and broken, muttered a desperate plea, but it was barely audible over the rustling wind.
"Your name," Laura said, her voice devoid of emotion, as if she were speaking to a ghost. "Tell me your name."
The man hesitated, eyes flitting to her face. He coughed, blood staining his lips, and his words were barely a whisper. "Jason… Jason Borneo."
Recognition flickered across Laura's features. The name struck her like a blade to the chest. In her past life, she had known a Jason Borneo—a hulking man who had wielded the tanker class. But the Jason she remembered had been different. He had been a follower, loyal and dependable, not this desperate, power-hungry leader. She frowned, questions swirling in her mind.
"What happened to you?" she asked, her tone laced with both curiosity and disbelief. "I knew a Jason Borneo once. He was gentle, obedient… nothing like this."
Jason's gaze grew sharper, and a ghost of a bitter smile tugged at his lips. "Curious… you know… me?" he rasped, his voice cracking. He paused, eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Who… are you?"
"Laura Whitecroft," she answered simply.
His reaction was immediate—his eyes widened with a mixture of shock and grief. Tears welled up, cutting tracks through the grime on his face. "You…" he breathed, his words thick with emotion. "I… never thought… it would be you."
Confusion clouded Laura's expression. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, kneeling beside him, her dagger still at the ready. "Explain."
Jason's breaths grew shallow, his life slipping away with every passing second. "Never… thought I'd… die… by the hands of… an ally." He choked on the words, his tears mixing with blood. "Past… ally."
Laura's heart skipped a beat. "Past ally?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. But before she could press him for more, Jason's body went limp. The light faded from his eyes, and he was gone.
The silence that followed was deafening. Laura's mind raced, replaying his final words over and over. Past ally? What did that mean? They were supposed to have met months from now, not like this. The implications of his words sank in, chilling her to the bone.
Had Jason… also regressed? The thought was terrifying. If he had regressed, it meant she might not be the only one. Were there more like them, scattered across this fractured world, each with their own motives and plans?
The possibilities were overwhelming. "No, no, no! That shouldn't be possible!" Laura declared but it was becoming dangerously clear that her theory might be correct.
Laura's knees felt weak, exhaustion pressing down on her as the adrenaline that had fueled her fight began to wane. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
Questions filled her mind—why had Jason changed so drastically? Was it because he had died a follower and chose a different path upon regression? Or had there been something else, some unseen force that had twisted his fate?
"I'll find out," she murmured to herself. "Eventually."
But not now. She was drained, her mana reserves depleted from summoning Fenrir, her body aching from the day's battles. She glanced down at Jason's lifeless form, his face finally at peace.
Despite everything, she couldn't leave him like this. He had been a part of her past life, no matter how twisted his path had become.
With great effort, she dragged his broken body to a mound of sand nearby and began to bury him.
The process was slow and arduous, but she didn't stop until his form was hidden beneath the earth. When she was done, she stood over the makeshift grave, her head bowed.
"Rest in peace, Jason," she whispered, the words heavy with emotion she hadn't realized she was holding back. "I'll find out what changed you. I promise."
Turning away, she made her way back into the ruined resort. The building was a hollow shell of what it once was, but it provided a semblance of shelter. She found the room she had taken earlier, the walls cracked and the furniture broken, but it was enough.
Collapsing onto the dusty mattress, Laura felt the weight of the day's events pressing down on her like a leaden blanket.
Sleep claimed her almost immediately, dragging her into a world of darkness and unanswered questions. But even as exhaustion pulled her under, one thought lingered at the edges of her mind—if Jason had regressed, then who else was out there, walking paths that should have never crossed?
~~~~~
Skrrreeeee!!
The next morning, Laura was up as the first creature of the apocalypse screeched close by.
Her eyes snapped open at the sound and she jumped out of bed reflexively. "I'm up." Laura whispered. Her eyes scanning her surrounding for a moment to confirm if there were any creatures close by.
She didn't find anything however, she heard something.
Skreeeeee!!
There was another screech and Laura immediately understood. The creatures weren't inside the room but they were surely close by and around. Probably around where the previous night's battle had taken place.
Laura turned around one last time as she scanned the room to she if she was forgetting anything. "Nothing I guess."
She sighed and began her journey walking out through the hallways. "It's about time I returned to the others." She muttered to herself.
Just as she neared the entrance however, she was met with trouble.
Thud!
The heavy footstep of a creature rang in he ears and Laura paused in her tracks.
"Not now!" She seemed to want to cry.
~~~~~
A/N
Apologies dear readers! I haven't been too well and so I couldn't write. I was recommended to avoid screens for my eyes for a while but a while seems to be taking longer than expected. I think I can gladly say I'm back despite the warning hahaha... Do support the book as always. Thank you all, I love you all!!